Moving to a new place is rarely anyone’s idea of a fun activity, but it doesn’t have to be such a chore. Taking the time to prepare correctly before moving is key to a stress-free move-in experience. Speed up the unpacking process with these seven easy tips from the best local Charlotte movers.

 1. Avoid taking anything you don’t need

While packing, ask yourself questions like, “When was the last time I used this?” “Is this still useful to me?” to save yourself time and energy spent moving things that don’t provide value to you. If you have time and you have a lot of unnecessary items on your hands, try holding a garage or an estate sale to get rid of things and make some extra money.

An efficient way to collect items you no longer want during the packing process is to have boxes, bags, or tubs nearby labeled “donate” and “throw away” and add items to them as you find them. Haul these off right before hitting the road so that way you’re only making one trip to deal with getting rid of unwanted items.

2. Use small boxes

Packing a larger number of smaller boxes will help you save on your moving bill. If you plan to move everything yourself, the future you will be thankful that you decided to use smaller boxes. Especially if you’re a book lover as book boxes get heavy fast. You’ll have a much easier time unloading smaller parcels than huge, bulging moving boxes.

3. Clean while packing and before unpacking

Dust or wipe off your furniture before loading it into the moving van. The last thing you’ll want to do once you start unpacking in your new home is to stop every five minutes to clean another dirty piece of furniture.

Before opening a single box in your new apartment, start cleaning. Getting cleaning tasks out of the way first will save you time in the long run by helping you avoid switching back and forth from unpacking to cleaning. Knock it out in the beginning for a smoother move-in experience.

4. Color code your boxes

Make unpacking a breeze by labeling your boxes with colored stickers. When you use pink for the garage, orange for the kitchen, and so on – you won’t have to write on the boxes at all. Unpacking will involve no label reading and you’ll be able to identify what room a box belongs in from across the room.

5. Pack a first-night box to avoid scrambling for the essentials

This moving tip is severely underrated – pack a box or two full of the essentials – toiletries, pajamas and an outfit for everyone, toothbrushes, and maybe even some snacks. Consider loading this box last so that you can unpack it first or put it in your car during your move. It’s always stressful to arrive at your new home only to spend an hour or two searching for something you need.

6. Unpack your boxes one room at a time

When you start unpacking, don’t be tempted to grab a random box and go with it. When you unpack a box in the kitchen, a box in the bathroom, and two boxes in the living room, you won’t make a noticeable impact and you’ll feel unproductive. Taking it one room at a time will help motivate you to keep going and get the job done because you’ll see your new home coming together more quickly.

7. Don’t put off small but important tasks

• Don’t let yourself get hung up on where to place artwork and decor. Decide quickly – you can always choose another place to hang that painting later and it won’t do you any good sitting in storage or in a hallway. 
• Get rid of your moving boxes quickly after getting everything unpacked. A huge stack of boxes is an eyesore and will make your new home feel cluttered. Use Craigslist to sell or give away your boxes and other moving supplies. Alternatively, Penny Hoarder has a guide to recycling or selling your moving boxes for cash. 
• Find a place for your moving-related receipts if you moved around the time you accepted a new job. If you bought moving supplies, used a moving service, or incurred any other kind of expense due to your moving process, save your receipts somewhere specific. You may be able to claim moving expenses on your tax return.